Interview: 6 tricky questions and how to answer them
During an interview, some questions are more delicate than others. We help you decipher the ones that can be an issue, and above all, answer them without making any mistakes.
1 min read
You receive four job offers, which one do you choose?
What the recruiter is looking for
This question allows the recruiter to see where you are in your reflection on your career path, and therefore your level of maturity. If you are unable to answer this question in a coherent way, the only conclusion the recruiter will draw is that you applied for this job by chance and you are not motivated.
The second underlying question is: “Is what we are offering you really what you are looking for? If you are interviewed for a job in a very small company, avoid quoting ‘the company's reputation’ as the first criterion.
What you can answer
One of the most important criteria for a recruiter is the motivation of the candidate. Of course, you are advised to answer that the company you are applying to is one of your priorities. But you need to be able to justify this.
This reflection is done before any internship or job search and allows you to better target your applications. Take 5 seconds to think about it: do you know exactly how to answer this question? What criteria would you take into account when choosing between two internship offers? What importance would you give to each of them?
Can we continue this conversation in [another language]?
What the recruiters is looking for
If the recruiter asks this question, it is because at some point you have suggested that you have a sufficient level of said language to carry on a conversation.
What you can say
The worst answer you can give at this point is a simple “no”, on the grounds that “this is not easy, I have not prepared myself”.
This leaves you with two options. You can either do well, because you have a very good level in this language. Congratulations. Or you stammer a bit and make a few grammatical or linguistic mistakes, but you try anyway. Either way, go for it! The recruiter can fully understand that you are under stress and will forgive you more easily than if you don't even make the effort to try.
Moral of the story: never lie on your CV. Everything you say can be verified, which is likely to be the case if your recruiter is a bit pickier than others.
Why did you choose to take this course?
What the recruiter is looking for
If you are a student or recent graduate, you are likely to be asked this question. The recruiter's goal is first to discover the roots of your motivation. Then, to see if you are able to step back and analyse objectively a situation that affects you directly.
What you can answer
Avoid answers like “I chose this school because it was the best I managed to get in the ranking”. This suggests a total lack of interest in the course itself and a gregarious attitude. The ideal answer is to link the skills you have acquired through the course to the skills needed for the job you are applying for.
Why didn't you do an internship abroad?
What the recruiter is looking for
Work experience abroad is highly valued by recruiters. There is a good reason for this: working in another foreign language and cultural context requires genuine adaptability.
What you can say
If you were not so lucky, at least try to justify it. Instead of saying “I never got the opportunity”, try instead to emphasise your desire to gain very specific experience in France. Talk about another international experience that could compensate for this lack – au-pair, road trip... - or, if possible, highlight an experience in France carried out in an international context - with foreign interlocutors, for instance.
The main thing is to show that this question does not take you by surprise, and that the fact that you have not done an internship abroad is a choice on your part and not something you could not do.
Aren't you too young to have responsibilities?
What the recruiter is looking for
This question is not intended to question your authority or your ability to take on these responsibilities, but rather to unsettle you to see how you react to this type of remark. The recruiter is not judging you at all on your age or physical appearance when they ask this question, but they are judging how you react to a potentially offensive remark.
What you can answer
Don't get defensive and react positively. Put the emphasis on the pros of your young age: your reactivity, your ability to adapt, your ease with new technologies, etc., while of course taking care to spare the recruiter's sensitivity if he/she is a little older.
Where do you see yourself in three years?
What the recruiter is looking for
Without asking you to draw up a career plan tailored to the job offered and the company - which would be rather a sign of a lack of flexibility - a recruiter will nevertheless ask you to have a long-term vision of your professional career. The aim is to enable him/her to judge your ambition and your ability to keep your feet on the ground.
What you can answer
Again, there is no point in lying and making up an answer to this question that is truly, really complicated for you. You will have a hard time justifying yourself if the recruiter decides to dig a little deeper. Instead, pick out the skills you want to have developed by that time: your management and technical skills (ideally in the field of the company you are applying to). In short, show that you have an idea, however blurry, of where you want to go.
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